Covered By A Shadow
by MyDarlingRose
Summary: AU: Regina is the Dark One and Robin Hood goes to her, seeking help in saving his wife.


**Oh my god, this is so scary.  
I've actually written a Once Upon A Time Fanfiction. Both nervous and excited right now.  
I guess this is mostly in Robin's point of view but at the end we see Regina's.  
Frick, I'm so scared. I know how big the OutlawQueen fandom is and I just really want to contribute!**

**Well, enjoy this wild ride.**

**/**

His heart beat harder the closer he got.

Every step feeling more weighed down that the last.

Fear braced his features and he couldn't hide it, no one could when facing _her_ and she sensed it.

Saw it.

Used it as a toy to play with.

He had to remind himself that he is doing this for his wife, his Marian, who is lying on her death bed right this second fighting for her life along with his child. _Marian. _He needs to save her, doing whatever it takes even if it means asking the Dark One for help.

This wasn't going to be easy but he has to try.

Finally seeing the stone towers that grace the top of the Dark Castle through the numerous amounts of trees covering the area, he began to walk with more confidence and determination, promising Marian that he will save her. _Whatever it takes _he thought to himself as he approached the great wooden doors of the entrance.

Making sure his bow and arrows were still adorning his back, he lifted his hand to knock.

Before he even made contact with the mahogany wood, the doors opened automatically with agonising slowness and loud creaks that sent shivers down his back.

Springing into action, Robin quickly took his bow and notched an arrow. His eyes darting everywhere, checking for any sign of danger.

_She couldn't possibly know I'm here…?_

Keeping his arrow aimed, he stealthily walked through the beckoning doors, years of being a thief allowed him to move in silence and agility.

Entering the threshold, he saw that the whole place was dark with only a lone fire roaring in the fireplace at the end of the room. Large, bulky curtains covered the windows, pillars dotted around the place, each with a different strange object placed upon it.

Walking further in, the doors slammed shut behind him, making Robin's heart nearly jump out of his chest. Swiftly turning, he aimed his weapon at the doors, moving from side to side worried that something will jump out at him. He's been told that _she's_ unpredictable and can change emotions in the blink of an eye as well as _her_ actions. When he was searching of people who have met the Dark One, he found that not many survived. Others telling him tales of how cruel she can be, merely killing for fun and pleasure, using people for her evil games to cure her boredom. When he inquired of her appearance, mixed answers where given. Some say she has the look of a demon, her eyes hollowed with a bright purple light that feed on fear, and fangs sticking out from her mouth that drip with venom, ready to attack. But others tell him she has the beauty of a siren, one look into her eyes will have you hypnotised and yearning to bid her every command.

To him neither sounded good.

To him, she was a monster in any case or form.

Suddenly, a cool breeze whooshed past him and he felt something stroke across his shoulder blades. He spun around but was faced with nothing but a wall.

A hearty feminine laugh echoed through the walls, leaving him on guard and new filled courage, now knowing that she's most definitely here.

''Show yourself!'' pacing through the large room, arrow still at-the-ready, he couldn't stand this any longer. He has a wife to save and time is running out.

''My, my, my, to what do I owe this pleasure?'' a sultry voice spoke from afar.

Turning his head towards the fireplace, Robin saw a figure sitting in a large black leather armchair, its back facing the fire.

_That wasn't there before…_He thought.

Due to the darkness of the room, he couldn't make out a face from the shadows but he was fairly certain it was _her_. Taking a deep breath, he spoke.

''My name is Robin of Locksley and I have come here to ask of your help.''

All of a sudden, two bright purple lights appeared where he assumed her eyes were and he heard movement from the chair.

''Ah…the _thief_.'' Flinching at the use of that word, he glared at her.

''I've come here for your help.'' He repeated again, but it appeared more like a demand.

''Yes, yes, I heard you the first time!'' there was annoyance and irritation in her voice, though those purple eyes never left his.

''Will you then, help me?'' his voice cracked at that and he scolded himself for sounding desperate and weak in front of someone who could use it against you in a matter of seconds.

''That depends…'' she fell silent at that and when he blinked she was in front of him.

Robin gasped and took a step back, the sudden closeness scaring him. His arrow once again aimed, this time at her chest.

''Show your face, Dark One!'' darkness still surrounded them, the only source of light now were her eyes. _She must have put out the fire_.

She laughed again. This time more manically and it grew louder and louder until Robin couldn't take it anymore. He unconsciously dropped his weapon and covered his ears.

He didn't know how long he stayed crouched down with his hands on his ears, but soon the laughter stopped abruptly and he hesitantly stood back up.

He stood alone.

She was gone.

The room was now pitch black and the only sound was Robin's heavy breathing. Looking around, he forced his eyes to focus on his surroundings.

Dropping low to pick up his abandoned bow, he realized it was missing. Feeling about the floor some more, he could not find the carved wood.

''Damn!'' his cursed his moment of vulnerability and felt even angrier.

Asking her for help was now sounding like a ridiculous idea to him. As if the Dark One would save his dying wife if he said _please._ This was only meant as a last resort but Robin was becoming desperate, all the healers he had met told him the same thing. That she would die no matter what, along with their unborn child.

Before he could ponder on the matter anymore, a spotlight turned on in the middle of the room and there she was, sitting in that same leather armchair, her legs were crossed and thrown over one of the armrests whilst she slowly stroked _his bow._

''You think you can take me down with sticks?'' she purred and looked his way, gently tracing the intricate patterns that are carved on the piece of wood with her forefinger, her lips in etched into a smirk.

Glaring at her, he allowed his eyes to look into her true appearance.

Those bright purple eyes twinkled in the light, giving her the look of a mad person. He noticed that her skin is a ghostly white with hints of blue, the shadows on her face giving off a violet colour. Her lips were painted such a deep shade of red; he could have sworn it was blood. He noticed there was a scar on her upper lip, which to him only added to her unusual beauty. The eye make-up was also dark, mostly black, making the irises stand out. Her ebony hair was made into an elaborate style on top of her head decorated with jewels and pins, with a long piece lying over her shoulder. Her apparel was all mostly black leather. Leather corset that was tight, which showed off a great deal of cleavage, (_probably for the sole purpose to seduce,_ he thought) and covered by a lengthy jacket of the same colour only with swirls and patterns printed into it, with long tight fitting sleeves and high shoulders. The most bejewelled necklace he has ever seen adorned her neck, covering most of her collarbone and neck. He kept thinking how she could wear such a thing, _isn't it heavy?_ Diamond earrings were attached to her earlobes. Shiny leather pants covered her long slim legs, and high heeled boots.

''Like what you see?'' he cast his eyes back to hers but gave no answer.

She chuckled before breaking eye contact with him and watched as her fingers travelled up and down the bow.

''So thief, what is it you need help with? Although I think I know the answer…''

''How's your wife? I heard she got awfully sick, poor thing.'' She mimicked the voice of a child and pouted at him, cocking her head to the side. Those sparkling eyes looked bigger now and mocked him to no end.

His silence and deep gaze gave her the answer.

''Well, there isn't much I can do. You can't really save someone who is on the verge of death _and _pregnant, dear. It's all too much!'' her laugh at the end made him wince.

''You're the Dark One, I'm sure you can do something!'' he shouted at her desperately.

He didn't come this far only to be told that there is no hope. Nothing that can save his Marian.

His outburst seemed to anger her because her eyes quickly turned full black and she stood abruptly, catching him by the throat with a death grip.

''I may have magical abilities and powers beyond your imagination but even _I _have limits, magic always comes with a price! Do you even know what's in her system that's causing this?'' she sneered in his face, her voice was now bitter and cold.

When he shook his head as a 'no', her grin was so wide it nearly touched her eyes (if he could call them that, they now looked like black pits of death) and unnerved him. Her pure white teeth shone in the light and he swore he saw those fangs people told tales about.

''Dream-shade.'' She whispered. Her lips so close to his he thought she might kiss him. Her breath was cold on his cheeks as well as her skin. Her grip tightened before she let go and he fell on his knees, wheezing and coughing.

_Dream-shade_. He'd heard about such a poison, but never thought possible to exist, seeing as it is from a faraway land called Neverland. There is no known cure and at that thought his heart broke. Now remembering a time when Marian came with him and his Merry Men on one of their missions, even after his pleas for her to stay behind due to her pregnancy but she was always not one to back out of a fight so hesitantly let her come with them only with a promise that she stay in the loading cart. How at one point when they were fighting off some guards she got cut just below her ribcage. When he asked her constantly if she was alright, she would tell him it was only a scratch and that she's fine. The blade that wounded her must have been covered in the stuff.

Now, he couldn't help but blame himself for not looking out for her enough and now it has cost him her life.

Getting up, he saw her a little ways ahead of him.

She was standing with her back facing him, doing something on a table that she must have conjured.

Hearing the sound of clanking glass and liquid being poured, he moved closer.

''Do you not have anything that can maybe give her more time? Just until my child is born. _Please?_ I can't lose them both...'' his eyes burnt into her back, willing her to help him.

The sound of cutlery hitting porcelain was heard before she turned towards him, a spoon in her mouth, which she innocently sucked, before placing it on the saucer by the teacup she held and took a sip of the hot liquid, keeping eye contact with him. He was glad her irises had turned back to purple.

_Is she really drinking tea NOW? _God, this woman made him angry.

Putting the teacup back down and running a finger along the rim, she answered him.

''I may have…something.''

''What is it? I'll give you anything.''

''Anything?'' she raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow.

Hesitantly, he nodded.

She was in front of him in a blink of an eye once more, causally stroking his clothed chest with her long, black painted nails. Her hand so pale he saw every blue vein that lay beneath the skin.

''You know _Robin_,'' his name slid off her tongue like liquid.

''I've been able to seduce many, many men in my time. All they had to do was gaze into my eyes and they'd be mine to do what I please with… their lust getting in the way of their judgment.'' she looked at him then, studying his face at their close proximity. He didn't seem fazed and this confused her.

''But you… you're the first one to resist. Why is that?'' her hand moved slowly up until her nails grazed the slight stubble that adorned his jaw and cheeks.

''Because I love my wife.'' He caught her wrist and moved her hand away from his face and back down to her side. Inspecting his face, she saw the truth now. All those other men were nothing but lust filled imbeciles. But this man in front of her was noble and honest who actually loved his wife enough to go to the last person on earth anyone would ever step foot in front of, just to save her life.

Yes, she saw it now.

''True love…'' she whispered more to herself than him. Giving her a quizzical look, he nodded.

''Yes. You must have loved someone once? Loved them enough to do anything in your power to save them?'' she seemed slightly taken aback by this question and he swore he saw hurt flash in her eyes, but it was merely a second of weakness.

''No.'' she said sternly and turned her back to him. Flicking her wrist, a cupboard appeared by the wall. Going to it, she opened the glass doors and rummaged through all the strange items he could just make out from looking from afar over her shoulder.

When she returned to him, she was holding some sort of rod that was coloured a deep blue with a golden handle.

''This is a magic wand, once owned by a fairy. Simply move the wand over her body and the magic will protect her until your child is born.'' She didn't say anything else, wouldn't even look at him.

Taking the wand from her, he turned it in his hands, marvelled at how light it was.

''Thank you. What do I owe you?'' looking up, she wasn't near him anymore but back at the cupboard.

''Nothing.''

''Please, there must be something you want?'' he pleaded with her.

''There is nothing you have that I could possibly want!'' she screamed at him. Her sudden change in mood baffled him, but he didn't let the way her voice cracked go unnoticed.

''Now. Get. Out.'' She growled.

Walking over to his abandoned bow that still lay in the armchair, he grabbed it and flung it over his shoulder.

''Thank you, again.'' With that said, he made his way to the giant doors. They opened immediately, but before he went through, he looked back to her. She stood still and seemed to be staring at something in her hand, that same hurt expression was carved on her face.

Sighing, he stepped out into the foliage of trees and disappeared into the night.

Once the doors closed, Regina lost it.

Grabbing a sword that hung by the wall, she screamed and thrust it into the cupboard, breaking everything she could get her hands on. Glass shattered and fell to the floor in piles, potions spilled and trinkets smashed.

Screaming more, she started to torch everything by throwing fire balls at the whole mess. Tears streamed down her face and she collapsed.

Surrounded by fire she cried, clutching the one thing that didn't get destroyed.

The one thing she still had that she actually cherished.

''Daniel…'' she whispered as she kissed the golden ring.


End file.
